Lexus tops 2018 dependability rankings, FCA struggles - J.D. Power

The study measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles during the past 12 months by original owners of 2015 model-year vehicles, with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

NEW DELHI: Toyota Motor Corp cars won in six of the 19 categories in an annual auto industry reliability survey published on Wednesday, while Fiat Chrysler Automobiles trailed in the bottom three of the report's main rankings.

Consultancy J.D. Power's closely-watched 2018 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, put Toyota ninth overall and its Lexus luxury vehicle division first in the survey of owners of three-year old cars.

Overall the study showed a 9 percent improvement in vehicle dependability from 2017, the first time the industry-wide score has improved since 2013.

"Strong dependability scores not only improve demand for used vehicles, but also are a contributor to higher residual values," Jonathan Banks, Vice President of Vehicle Analysis and Analytics at J.D. Power said.

"Improving dependability ultimately supports new vehicle sales and provides a better perception of the brand."

Lexus topped the rankings for a seventh consecutive year with a score of 99 problems per hundred cars, compared to 127 for Toyota overall.